Cta Skirts Court Ban On Buying New Buses

Judge Ordered Wheelchair Lifts

The Chicago Transit Authority will forge ahead with plans to buy new buses but will comply with a court order by stopping just short of actually purchasing the vehicles, according to a CTA executive.

``The important thing to note is that the CTA can prepare specifications, issue bids, negotiate and do all the necessary preparatory work short of actually accepting delivery,`` said Larry Pianto, the CTA`s chief

administrative officer.

Last Thursday, Circuit Judge George Higgins barred the authority from buying any new buses unless they are accessible to disabled passengers.

Pianto expressed confidence that the agency finally will be able to order 180 new vehicles as planned after it is cleared of charges that it discriminates against handicapped riders by refusing to install wheelchair lifts on main buses. A hearing into the allegations has been scheduled for October by the Illinois Human Rights Commission.

Pianto predicted that the commission will find that the authority is in compliance with the law because of service it provides the disabled through its door-to-door Dial-a-Ride program.

The CTA originally had hoped to order the 180 vehicles, which represent the first phase of a four-year, 700-bus acquisition program, around late August.

Higgins` ruling came on an emergency suit filed by the Illinois attorney general`s office on behalf of the state Department of Human Rights. The department declared last April that it had found enough evidence of discrimination against disabled riders by the CTA to warrant a hearing by the rights commission.

The rights department filed the suit to prevent bus purchases before the commission can consider the charges at a hearing to begin Oct. 7. Higgins`

ruling bars the CTA`s purchase of inaccessible buses ``until further order of this court.``

Earlier this year the CTA rejected demands by disabled activists for lifts on main buses because of what the authority contended were prohibitive costs. Instead the CTA board voted to double Dial-a-Ride service.

Higgins refused a request by the state to block delivery of 362 buses that were ordered by the CTA last March. Those vehicles are being received now, and deliveries are to be completed in late October.